Disposable articles and their construction materials including fabrics, films, and adhesives are described in a variety of United States patents. In initial work, Korpman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,292, teaches a heat resistant adhesive material comprising a reactive phenol formaldehyde resin and a suitable antioxidant of a metal dithiocarbamate. Collins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,699, teach a disposable article using a hot melt ABA block polymer containing pressure sensitive adhesive as a positioning and construction material. Similarly, Chen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,364, teach a hot melt PSA used in the disposables. Schmidt, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,577, teach SBS block copolymers system in disposables using multiline application technology. Puletti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,847, also teach the use of hot melts in disposables. Tsukahara, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,026, teaches a delayed tack sheet using an aqueous dispersion of, e.g., a polymer, a solid plasticizer and preferably a tackifier. Quinn et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2003/0139516 A1 teach certain hot melt adhesives utilizing a very broad range of materials. Quinn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,829 teach certain hot melt adhesives utilizing an ethylene α-olefin (EAO) polymer. The application discloses a very broad range of materials. Dubois et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,430 teach a broad range of proposed formulations and teaches a 1000 melt index ethylene octene polymer (one type of EAO) combined with a tackifying resin, a wax and an antioxidant material. Werenicz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,887 teach hot melt adhesive compositions using, on the whole, exemplary materials generally containing less than 40% of a low MI (high molecular weight) polymer material. Jialanella et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,398 relates to an ethylene □-olefin polymer mixture with a wax and a nucleating agent to improve elongation at break of the polymer material. While the disclosure mentions the use of these materials in adhesives, no specific formulatory strategies are shown in the reference. Polymer compositions in the form of mixtures of materials are shown in the patent from Column 20, line 50 through Column 24, line 27. Dubois et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,979 teach low application temperature hot melt adhesives including an ethylene α-olefin polymer material. The patent has a very broad disclosure, but discloses exemplary materials beginning at Column 25, line 62 through Column 30, line 36. As a whole, the materials have less than 33% of the ethylene octene polymer (having a 1000 gm-10 min−1 melt index). In Table III in Column 28 further shows additional examples using certain polymeric materials with a melt index (MI) of 500 or 1000 gr-10 min−1 and in amounts less than 33 wt-%. Ahmed et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,572 show compositions comprising a thermoplastic component and a superabsorbent polymer material. Kroll et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,915 teach certain radiation crosslinked or curable hot melt adhesives utilizing low application temperatures. The application discloses a very broad range of materials, but uses a vinyl modified block polymer a KX-222CS. The vinyl substituent on the block polymer is used for radiation cross-linking.
The adhesive compositions of the invention are useful for a variety of disposable construction applications. The adhesive is low in odor. Low odor compositions substantially improve the working environment of workers who maintain equipment used in spraying the adhesive onto the workpiece. Further, the disposable articles, when removed from their packaging also have little or no detectable odor which can be unacceptable to many end users. The adhesive of the invention is also light in color, resulting in a clear, substantially transparent glue line on the disposable materials. Typical disposables are made from white or transparent, woven or non-woven fabrics, polyethylene or polyester films and colored or charred adhesives are unacceptable in such construction applications. The adhesive of the invention is preferably not tacky, preferably pelletizable. Pelletizable adhesives are relatively easy to package and use at the disposable assembly location. The adhesive is thermally stable such that it can be placed into applications equipment and be maintained for a substantial period of time at hot melt temperature prior to application.
A substantial need exists in this art to obtain such a low odor, light color, non-tacky, non-pressure sensitive (pelletizable), thermally stable, hot melt adhesive. Lastly, the adhesive material of this invention is formulated to minimize cost, and maximize adhesive performance without any reduction in quality in the resulting disposable article.